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What It's Like to be a Queen: Lady Boi

An interview with a drag queen.

Photo credit to dmvrtinez

For a while now, I have wanted to do an interview with someone but I wasn’t able to decide on who. Who would want to take the time with an amateur writer like myself? I ignored that annoying voice in my head and began to focus on who I would want to interview. Out of everyone I would want to talk to I realized that the most questions I had pertained to other members of the LGBT community. Why not interview a drag queen? I’ve always been interested in them but too shy to ask questions, there had to be others with questions just like me.

So I took to Instagram and messaged a couple of drag queens about doing an interview via instant message, and Lady Boi was the first to respond.You can find her on Instagram under @thatsladyboi. For those interested in drag queens and those who are fans of Lady Boi, below is the interview which has taken place over the last couple days.

Kaylee Marie: To start, let’s assume the readers are either uneducated and are looking for answers to their questions about drag queens, like me. We can also assume that the readers are possibly fans of yours. I’ve been a member of the LGBT community for a while but honestly I am clueless about a lot of things. I’m probably going to ask a lot of dumb questions but, like I said, I’m assuming the readers are like me. To start, how old are you now and how old were you when you first started drag?

Lady Boi: My current age is a mystery but I started drag when I was 17.

Did it take a lot of guts for you to do that? How did or do your parents feel about it?

I just kind of went for it. To live your daily life as any queer person, it takes a lot of bravery. Drag is just an extension of the courage. My parents were complicated but my mom is more supportive nowadays.

Photo credit to Jessica Carder

There are many terms in the LGBT community. Many people get sensitive when someone uses the wrong term. In your words, what is the difference between drag queen and transgender? Are they the same or different?

Being a drag queen and transgender are complete opposites. Transgender defines the gender you identify as, drag queen is just a performance persona displayed on stage or through media.

Can you be both transgender and a drag queen? What do you consider your orientation to be?

I’m a drag queen 100%. Anybody can be a drag queen no matter your gender, that’s the point.

What’s the hardest thing about being a drag queen?

Honestly, it’s not that hard. It’s expensive and it takes a lot of dedication but it’s really just f**king fun.

In reference to a current problem people are facing in the LGBT community, how do you feel about President Trump's ban on transgender people from joining the army?

Obviously, I’m not a fan. But who's a fan of anything that c**t does? Nothing really surprised me at this point.

He hasn’t really tried to win the LGBT community over either. I think he should focus on other things. What are your biggest inspirations?

Vintage cartoons? Like pinup girls? Willam is great also, first drag queen I ever really admired. Funny as hell too. The best people are the ones who make you laugh or smile. So, being a drag queen, does that immediately define your sexuality? Can drag queens be straight to?

Yeah. Cartoons like Betty Boop, Sherah, Daphne from Scooby. Willam is my spirit animal, I follow her religiously. Just as much as drag isn’t defined by your gender, it is also not defined by your sexuality.

How is she your spirit animal? Funny, I was going to ask you what your spirit animal was later. Or whom. Also, what is a drag show? What do they consist of? Obviously drag queens, but what exactly goes on?

She’s all the qualities in a queen and just in a person that I aspire to be. A drag show can range from scooting around on top of some old milk crates in the back of a little dive bar. Or even kickin in and bucking around on a full-scale stage with lights, graphics, and all that jazz. But at the end of the day, a drag show is where two or more queer folk gather to praise the gay gods.

Lady Boi and Willam Belli

What kind of people go to drag shows?

Oh all kinds. Literally people from all walks of life.

Why do you think some people are so anti-LGBT? Is it truly because of religion or do you think there’s something else behind it?

People are scared of what they don’t understand.

For people that want to pursue being a drag queen, where do you get your start?

Get some cheap makeup. Don’t spend money on good makeup until you know how to do a decent cut crease. Get crafty at Goodwill or any vintage/resale store. Get a little gig together and go have fun.

How long does it generally take to get into full drag?

For me, a regular fish-beat takes about an hour and then a half hour to do wig/get dressed. If I’m feeling extra it can take anywhere from 2–4 hours to get ready.

Can you explain what fish-beat means?

Fish means looking as womanly as possible. Beat means your makeup.

Before and After

Okay, I only have a few more questions to ask and they are pretty basic, mainly for your fans. Some are requests from friends of mine. I’ll ask them in sets of 3.

Wizard of Oz, Sushi or d**k (drag queen response), and there’s too many to pick just one.

How about this, what’s a song you’ve recently had stuck in your head? Also, favorite curse word?

I really am loving Def Leppard and Bob Jovi. Also, C*nt!

Bob Jovi? You must mean Bon Jovi (man I love me some Bob Jovi though). They are both really good, so you're into 80s music or just them?

Yup, dumb auto correct. I love the 80s, currently trying to culture myself.

It’s my favorite era for music, I love the older stuff. I saw Queen + Adam Lambert back in June, they were really good. I think that’s all I have for you, I’ll get this typed up and send you the link once I publish it.

Ok! Fabulous.

That was the end of our interview, after typing it all up and taking out the spelling errors (except for Bob Jovi, couldn’t leave that one out) I realize that the interview went a lot better than I had hopes for. Greatest thanks to Lady Boi (who you can find on Instagram) for letting me talk with her. She says she will be making a Twitter soon so you will be able to find her there eventually.